Announcements

Position Summary

Virginia Tech seeks a seasoned, strategic leader to serve as the Executive Associate Athletics Director for Advancement & Executive Director, Hokie Club, responsible for driving philanthropic success for Virginia Tech Athletics through the Hokie Club–the fundraising program for Virginia Tech Athletics. This position will have a dual reporting role to the Senior Vice President for Advancement, and the Director of Athletics. This position oversees all aspects of athletics fundraising—including annual giving, leadership, major and principal gifts. This leader will serve as the chief advancement officer for Intercollegiate Athletics and provide direct oversight of the Hokie Club team, composed of gift officers, annual giving specialists, and advancement staff. In this highly visible role, the Executive Associate Athletics Director for Advancement & Executive Director, Hokie Club will manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, champion integrated advancement strategies, and align efforts with the broader goals of the University’s Advancement Division.

Virginia Tech Athletics is navigating a dynamic and demanding intercollegiate athletics landscape shaped by the growing need for philanthropic donations and revenue streams. These forces demand a resourceful, innovative, and highly adaptable leader who can harness the university’s strengths and capitalize on emerging opportunities. This position also serves as a senior advisor to both the Athletics Director and the Senior Vice President for Advancement, shaping strategy, managing relationships, and executing initiatives that elevate the Hokie Club, amplify donor engagement, and secure transformational support for Athletics programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the chief fundraising officer for Virginia Tech Athletics, partnering with Athletics and Advancement leadership to shape and execute strategy.
• Manage a high-level donor portfolio, focused on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual and corporate prospects. 
• Lead all campaign and annual fundraising efforts, including annual fund, leadership gifts, major gifts, and principal gifts.
• Ensure clear differentiation between philanthropic revenue (gifts) and commercial revenue (ticket sales, premium seating, sponsorships), while integrating premium seat donors into broader stewardship and gift pipelines. 
• Lead and develop the Athletics Development/Advancement team by providing leadership, mentoring, and performance oversight; setting and evaluating individual goals; supporting professional growth through coaching and development; assigning and monitoring coverage of primary areas of focus; and fostering a high-performing, values-aligned culture that advances individual and team fundraising success.
• Oversee operational budgets related to Athletics Advancement, ensuring strategic use of resources and alignment with campaign priorities.
• Coordinate and support the Athletics Director’s donor engagement activities and briefings, and oversee the organization of high-level advancement events involving the AD, University President and other top leaders of Virginia Tech. 
• Act as the primary liaison between Athletics and other Advancement units (central and decentralized) to ensure consistency in messaging, policy compliance, and operational excellence.
• Engage regularly with head coaches, Athletics staff, and internal partners to build trust, understand priorities, and align fundraising strategies with programmatic needs.
• Oversee the strategic engagement of volunteers, including the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund Board (also known as the Hokie Club Board), and lead efforts to recruit, motivate, and steward board members and other key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Athletics Communications team to develop and deploy donor-centric messaging and impact stories. Establish annual fundraising goals in consultation with the Senior Vice President for Advancement and Athletics Director; track performance and adjust tactics to ensure success.
• Provide regular reporting, data analysis, and strategic counsel on advancement efforts to both the Athletics Director and Advancement leadership.
• Participate as a member of the senior leadership teams for both Athletics and the Advancement Division.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated success in advancement leadership roles such as major gifts, annual giving, stewardship, and/or alumni/donor relations. Experience within NCAA Division I Athletics programs, particularly football or other high-profile sports, is strongly preferred. 
• Proven ability to lead and manage comprehensive capital campaigns, from planning through execution. Familiarity with integrated advancement models that bridge central and unit-based structures is a plus. 
• A successful track record of securing major philanthropic gifts (seven-figure and above) from individuals and/or corporations. Ability to articulate compelling cases for support and navigate complex, multi-stakeholder fundraising strategies. 
• Experience leading high-performing teams, managing operational budgets, and implementing change management strategies in fast-paced environments. 
• Strong strategic thinking, interpersonal, and communication skills with a proven ability to engage effectively with senior leadership, coaches, donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel extensively, including attendance at games, events, and donor meetings.
• Knowledge of emerging trends in college athletics, particularly Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) strategies and their alignment with philanthropic giving, is preferred. 
• Experience crafting or overseeing donor communications that blend academic and athletic priorities is a plus
• Direct experience in athletics fundraising leadership, or close collaboration with athletics development teams, is strongly preferred.